{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-votes-cut-spending-protect-veterans-2a-rights-and-pass-6-spending-bills", "Bentz Votes to Cut Spending, Protect Veterans' 2A Rights, and Pass 6 Spending Bills", "2024-03-07", "2024", "2024-03", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Cliff Bentz", "B000668", "bentz.house.gov", "bentz", "https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) issued the following statement regarding the passage of H.Res. 1061, a bill containing six of the twelve appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2024 (which began on October 1st, 2023):\n\n\u201cThese appropriations bills represent a long, demanding, and labor-intensive effort to address the budgetary issues facing our country,\" Congressman Bentz stated. \u201cThis legislation is not perfect, but it emphasizes fiscal responsibility and marks the first overall reduction in non-defense and non-VA spending in almost a decade. It also succeeds in securing crucial conservative victories such as preventing the Biden Administration from stripping Second Amendment rights from veterans. With the crisis taking place at our Southern Border, high-interest rates, and international challenges of enormous importance, it was time to pass this legislation and move to the next step in this long process.\u201d\n\nHighlights from FY24 Appropriations Legislation:\n\nKey Changes To Funding:\n\nFully funds veterans\u2019 health care and benefits.\n\n10% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).\n\n7% cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).\n\n6% cut to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).\n\nIncreases funds to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), including increased funds for efforts to combat fentanyl.\n\nKey Policy Provisions:\n\nPrevents the Department of Veterans Affairs from attacking Second Amendment rights by sending information on those seeking assistance with their benefits to the FBI\u2019s National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) system, without a judge's consent.\n\nProhibits the Department of Justice from targeting or investigating parents who exercise their right to free speech at local school board meetings.\n\nStrengthens tracking and review of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land.\n\nPrevents the sale of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China.\n\nCuts endangered species listing activities at U.S. Fish and Wildlife.\n\nGroups in Support:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T20:32:04Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bentz.house.gov/media/press-releases/bentz-votes-cut-spending-protect-veterans-2a-rights-and-pass-6-spending-bills"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.956404022872448, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}